A scroll compressor generally refers to a fluid compression and expansion apparatus that includes two scroll members including interfitting spiroidal or involute scroll wraps, which are generated about respective axes. One representative scroll wrap includes flank surfaces, which adjoin in moving line contact, or near contact, the flank surfaces of the other respective scroll wrap to form a plurality of moving compression chambers. Depending upon the relative motion of the scroll wraps, the chambers move from the radial exterior end of the scroll wraps to the radially interior ends of the scroll wraps for fluid compression, or from the radially interior end of the scroll wraps to the radially exterior end of the scroll wraps for fluid expansion.
Scroll apparatuses are typically provided with a tip seal on the tip surface of the scroll wrap. The tip seal may be disposed in a tip seal groove formed in the tip surface. The tip seal can help prevent/reduce fluid leakage between the plurality of moving compression chambers.
In a HVAC system, a scroll compressor may be used to compress refrigerant with the notion that a scroll compressor can also be suitably used in other fluid compression systems.